OPINION: We’re working hard to improve the services you and your family count on

PEOPLE in B.C. work hard every day and they deserve a government that works for them. But for too long, people have struggled to find housing they could afford, quality care for their children, and access to the services they need.

Your government’s first full budget was introduced in February, and it’s a budget that works for people. We’re putting people first and making investments to improve the services you and your family count on.

That includes significant investments in health care, with funding of $548 million over three years to improve care for seniors and $150 million to help connect those who do not have a family doctor with team-based primary care.

We’re investing $11 million to increase MRI capacity to provide British Columbians with better access to diagnosis and care. Close to 37,000 more MRI exams will be done across BC by the end of March 2019.

And this week, I announced that the replacement for the original Richmond Hospital tower is moving ahead, and a new patient care tower is on the way for people living and working in Richmond.

To get British Columbians off surgery waitlists and back to their active lives, we’ve funded a surgical strategy to reduce wait times, and improve continuity of care for patients.

Budget 2018 also invests $105 million in the Fair Pharmacare program to expand prescription drug and medical supply coverage for 240,000 low-income B.C. families,

On January 1, 2018, we cut Medical Service Plan (MSP) premiums in half, and with budget 2018, we announced the complete elimination of MSP premiums effective January 1, 2020, saving families up to $1,800 per year, and individual people up to $900 per year.